Photo by: All Pro Photography/Dale Sparks
Brown Brothers Join Growing Football Signing Class
February 07, 2018 05:30 PM | Football
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - Football signing day was mostly uneventful for West Virginia, unlike years past, because the bulk of the work was already finished last December.
Twenty of the 22 signatures coach Dana Holgorsen has secured so far came on Dec. 20. Among that group were four wide receivers, three offensive linemen, three defensive linemen, two tight ends, two safeties, two linebackers, a quarterback, a cornerback, a running back and a kicker.
Eight of them - prep offensive linemen Briason Mays and Blaine Scott, prep quarterback Trey Lowe, prep linebacker Josh Chandler, junior college cornerback Keith Washington, junior college safety Josh Norwood, junior college linebacker Charlie Benton and Western Kentucky kicker Skyler Simcox - are already enrolled in school and are participating in offseason conditioning work.
The two latest names added to this year's signing list, Eastern Arizona Community College transfers Michael and Joe Brown, are not only brothers but are also the two biggest players in this year's recruiting class.
They will also be the two biggest players on the team.
Both weigh 340 pounds and will play offensive guard, an area of need this year with right guards Kyle Bosch and Grant Lingafelter graduating.
Michael, who stands 6-3, earned first team all-conference honors after helping the Monsters to an 8-4 record and a victory in the Salt Bowl. Eastern Arizona ranked first nationally in rushing yardage (3,532) and seventh in rushing touchdowns (31).
The Monsters also led the nation in rushing yardage during his freshman season in 2016, when they posted a 9-3 record and won their bowl game.
Originally from Compton, California, Brown prepped at Paramount High but didn't play football there. He initially committed to Kansas before recently switching to West Virginia and will have three years to play two.
Michael's older brother, Joe, who stands 6-4, began his college career at Miami playing for former Hurricane coach Al Golden. He saw action in seven games, starting three, during his redshirt freshman season in 2015 when Miami won eight regular season games before losing to Washington State in the Sun Bowl.
The elder Brown left Miami after his freshman season and eventually ended up taking classes at Eastern Arizona with his younger brother before playing there last fall. He will have one year of eligibility remaining and plans on enrolling in school this summer.
Keenan Cummings, managing editor of the Rivals website WVSports.com, said Joe could end up at left guard with Michael manning the right guard spot.
"They have size and are tough, and I think they have the ability to help the Mountaineers right away," Cummings said.
The two Browns, plus December signees Mays, Scott and summer enrollee Junior Uzebu, will give the Mountaineers much-needed offensive line depth.
Four of last year's five starting offensive linemen return, including outstanding tackles Yodny Cajuste and Colton McKivitz, but interior line depth is a concern following the Mountaineers' disappointing performance in the Heart of Dallas Bowl game against Utah.
Sophomore centers Matt Jones and Jacob Buccigrossi return, as do left guards Josh Sills and Chase Behrndt. Senior Isaiah Hardy filled in for Cajuste at tackle during the bowl game and will also be back, as will junior Kelby Wickline, but the right guard spot will be wide open when practice commences later this spring.
Veteran coach Joe Wickline will have plenty of old and new faces to mold when on-field work begins.
Meanwhile, Ryan Dorchester, West Virginia's director of player personnel, said last week that their recruiting efforts could continue into the summer. The Mountaineers currently have three spots remaining for this year's class and are seeking another defensive lineman, a corner and the "best available athlete," according to Dorchester.
Those could possibly end up being graduate transfers, based on who's available.
"The last thing you want to do at this stage in the game is panic and fill a number just for the sake of doing it," Dorchester said. "Be patient, wait and see and we may be able to get a better player who can be a guy who provides meaningful snaps to the program (in 2018).
"Maybe he becomes available after spring, maybe it's next month. Who knows when the timing may be?" he added.
Holgorsen told media members in December that the goal is to have the best roster possible in August, not on signing day.
Plus, three of West Virginia's most important recruits are not part of this year's signing class. They are quarterback Will Grier, wide receiver David Sills V and Cajuste, who announced their intentions of returning for their senior seasons prior to the bowl game.
The Mountaineers will also have three quality transfers from Power 5 programs available in 2018 - Miami quarterback Jack Allison, Miami tight end Jovani Haskins and Alabama wide receiver T.J. Simmons.
Haskins and Simmons could challenge for starting jobs this spring, while Allison will battle junior Chris Chugunov for the backup quarterback spot behind Grier.
"Those guys are a part of this class, too," Holgorsen said in December. "To me, it's not about a day or a class. It's about what your roster looks like come Aug. 1. That's what counts.
"I have seen guys panic and offer guys that they don't know," he continued. "To me, that doesn't make any sense. Building it the way we have built it is good, and I like where we are with it."
Based on this afternoon's updated Rivals.com recruiting rankings, West Virginia's 22-player class is ranked No. 32, or fifth-best in the Big 12. Texas landed the nation's third-best signing class, according to Rivals, while Oklahoma signed the No. 8-rated class.
ESPN.com has West Virginia's class ranked 35th. The Longhorns are ranked No. 3 followed by Oklahoma at No. 10.
West Virginia will announce its spring practice schedule later this month.
Twenty of the 22 signatures coach Dana Holgorsen has secured so far came on Dec. 20. Among that group were four wide receivers, three offensive linemen, three defensive linemen, two tight ends, two safeties, two linebackers, a quarterback, a cornerback, a running back and a kicker.
Eight of them - prep offensive linemen Briason Mays and Blaine Scott, prep quarterback Trey Lowe, prep linebacker Josh Chandler, junior college cornerback Keith Washington, junior college safety Josh Norwood, junior college linebacker Charlie Benton and Western Kentucky kicker Skyler Simcox - are already enrolled in school and are participating in offseason conditioning work.
The two latest names added to this year's signing list, Eastern Arizona Community College transfers Michael and Joe Brown, are not only brothers but are also the two biggest players in this year's recruiting class.
They will also be the two biggest players on the team.
Both weigh 340 pounds and will play offensive guard, an area of need this year with right guards Kyle Bosch and Grant Lingafelter graduating.
Michael, who stands 6-3, earned first team all-conference honors after helping the Monsters to an 8-4 record and a victory in the Salt Bowl. Eastern Arizona ranked first nationally in rushing yardage (3,532) and seventh in rushing touchdowns (31).
The Monsters also led the nation in rushing yardage during his freshman season in 2016, when they posted a 9-3 record and won their bowl game.
Originally from Compton, California, Brown prepped at Paramount High but didn't play football there. He initially committed to Kansas before recently switching to West Virginia and will have three years to play two.
Michael's older brother, Joe, who stands 6-4, began his college career at Miami playing for former Hurricane coach Al Golden. He saw action in seven games, starting three, during his redshirt freshman season in 2015 when Miami won eight regular season games before losing to Washington State in the Sun Bowl.
The elder Brown left Miami after his freshman season and eventually ended up taking classes at Eastern Arizona with his younger brother before playing there last fall. He will have one year of eligibility remaining and plans on enrolling in school this summer.
Keenan Cummings, managing editor of the Rivals website WVSports.com, said Joe could end up at left guard with Michael manning the right guard spot.
"They have size and are tough, and I think they have the ability to help the Mountaineers right away," Cummings said.
The two Browns, plus December signees Mays, Scott and summer enrollee Junior Uzebu, will give the Mountaineers much-needed offensive line depth.
Four of last year's five starting offensive linemen return, including outstanding tackles Yodny Cajuste and Colton McKivitz, but interior line depth is a concern following the Mountaineers' disappointing performance in the Heart of Dallas Bowl game against Utah.
Sophomore centers Matt Jones and Jacob Buccigrossi return, as do left guards Josh Sills and Chase Behrndt. Senior Isaiah Hardy filled in for Cajuste at tackle during the bowl game and will also be back, as will junior Kelby Wickline, but the right guard spot will be wide open when practice commences later this spring.
Veteran coach Joe Wickline will have plenty of old and new faces to mold when on-field work begins.
Meanwhile, Ryan Dorchester, West Virginia's director of player personnel, said last week that their recruiting efforts could continue into the summer. The Mountaineers currently have three spots remaining for this year's class and are seeking another defensive lineman, a corner and the "best available athlete," according to Dorchester.Those could possibly end up being graduate transfers, based on who's available.
"The last thing you want to do at this stage in the game is panic and fill a number just for the sake of doing it," Dorchester said. "Be patient, wait and see and we may be able to get a better player who can be a guy who provides meaningful snaps to the program (in 2018).
"Maybe he becomes available after spring, maybe it's next month. Who knows when the timing may be?" he added.
Holgorsen told media members in December that the goal is to have the best roster possible in August, not on signing day.
Plus, three of West Virginia's most important recruits are not part of this year's signing class. They are quarterback Will Grier, wide receiver David Sills V and Cajuste, who announced their intentions of returning for their senior seasons prior to the bowl game.
The Mountaineers will also have three quality transfers from Power 5 programs available in 2018 - Miami quarterback Jack Allison, Miami tight end Jovani Haskins and Alabama wide receiver T.J. Simmons.
Haskins and Simmons could challenge for starting jobs this spring, while Allison will battle junior Chris Chugunov for the backup quarterback spot behind Grier.
"Those guys are a part of this class, too," Holgorsen said in December. "To me, it's not about a day or a class. It's about what your roster looks like come Aug. 1. That's what counts.
"I have seen guys panic and offer guys that they don't know," he continued. "To me, that doesn't make any sense. Building it the way we have built it is good, and I like where we are with it."
Based on this afternoon's updated Rivals.com recruiting rankings, West Virginia's 22-player class is ranked No. 32, or fifth-best in the Big 12. Texas landed the nation's third-best signing class, according to Rivals, while Oklahoma signed the No. 8-rated class.
ESPN.com has West Virginia's class ranked 35th. The Longhorns are ranked No. 3 followed by Oklahoma at No. 10.
West Virginia will announce its spring practice schedule later this month.
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